I don't see what's charming about it at all and I hate the idea that people seem to think she owes him this date.

I also dislike the fact that she's interrupted multiple times, some where it's pretty clear she's about to say things like "if I'm not busy" etc. Also she seems not too keen when she's told she's going alone.

All in all this really grates on me, especially as people are now talking bad of her because she might not do it after all. She doesn't owe him anything, she was put on the spot (which in and of itself is rude, IMO) and now she's stuck either going on a date with a completely stranger, which she was pretty much forced into, or to look like the big bad person who doesn't wanna "honour a service man" and whatever else people are saying.

I hate this and I feel bad for her.

I don't like this new trend of having to do everything someone in the military/veteran wants and give them your first born child in addition or "OH NOES you're a terrible person!" and get slaughtered in the media. If she wants to go on a date with a stranger, and he is a stranger, enlisted or not, that's up to her. She can't win- either someone else determines who she dates or she's vilified. Poor woman.

I don't see what's charming about it at all and I hate the idea that people seem to think she owes him this date.

I also dislike the fact that she's interrupted multiple times, some where it's pretty clear she's about to say things like "if I'm not busy" etc. Also she seems not too keen when she's told she's going alone.

All in all this really grates on me, especially as people are now talking bad of her because she might not do it after all. She doesn't owe him anything, she was put on the spot (which in and of itself is rude, IMO) and now she's stuck either going on a date with a completely stranger, which she was pretty much forced into, or to look like the big bad person who doesn't wanna "honour a service man" and whatever else people are saying.

I hate this and I feel bad for her.

I don't like this new trend of having to do everything someone in the military/veteran wants and give them your first born child in addition or "OH NOES you're a terrible person!" and get slaughtered in the media. If she wants to go on a date with a stranger, and he is a stranger, enlisted or not, that's up to her. She can't win- either someone else determines who she dates or she's vilified. Poor woman.

I agree. If this had been something private - the Marine had written to her, for example - she'd have had the opportunity to accept or decline without fuss. I imagine the usual response from celebrities is to decline politely and send an autographed photo. I certainly wouldn't want to spend an entire evening with a complete stranger - particularly not a complete stranger for whom I would be a *trophy*. For the man to make his invitation public was... well, not a polite move. (Although if he lost a bet, or was dared to do it, it's at least understandable. Thanks for making a lady you don't know the subject of your bet, guys.)

That Justin Timberlake intervened doesn't particularly surprise me. It can't have occurred to him that his co-star ought to be able to make her own decision, but he doesn't score very well on Feminism101.

I'm glad he's now received his own invitation-by-YouTube, but sadly, he won't be in the same position that Mila Kunis will be in, given the difference in the way men and women are generally treated. And he did, to a great extent, bring it on himself, whereas all she did was *exist*. Happily, I think the female Marine who invited JT is on the martial arts instruction team, so she should have no trouble keeping him in line!

I don't see what's charming about it at all and I hate the idea that people seem to think she owes him this date.

I also dislike the fact that she's interrupted multiple times, some where it's pretty clear she's about to say things like "if I'm not busy" etc. Also she seems not too keen when she's told she's going alone.

All in all this really grates on me, especially as people are now talking bad of her because she might not do it after all. She doesn't owe him anything, she was put on the spot (which in and of itself is rude, IMO) and now she's stuck either going on a date with a completely stranger, which she was pretty much forced into, or to look like the big bad person who doesn't wanna "honour a service man" and whatever else people are saying.

I hate this and I feel bad for her.

I don't like this new trend of having to do everything someone in the military/veteran wants and give them your first born child in addition or "OH NOES you're a terrible person!" and get slaughtered in the media. If she wants to go on a date with a stranger, and he is a stranger, enlisted or not, that's up to her. She can't win- either someone else determines who she dates or she's vilified. Poor woman.

I completely agree. Someone may have meant well originally, but doing this in such a public manner basically forces her to accept. Not fair at all.

I don't see what's charming about it at all and I hate the idea that people seem to think she owes him this date.

I also dislike the fact that she's interrupted multiple times, some where it's pretty clear she's about to say things like "if I'm not busy" etc. Also she seems not too keen when she's told she's going alone.

All in all this really grates on me, especially as people are now talking bad of her because she might not do it after all. She doesn't owe him anything, she was put on the spot (which in and of itself is rude, IMO) and now she's stuck either going on a date with a completely stranger, which she was pretty much forced into, or to look like the big bad person who doesn't wanna "honour a service man" and whatever else people are saying.

I hate this and I feel bad for her.

I don't like this new trend of having to do everything someone in the military/veteran wants and give them your first born child in addition or "OH NOES you're a terrible person!" and get slaughtered in the media. If she wants to go on a date with a stranger, and he is a stranger, enlisted or not, that's up to her. She can't win- either someone else determines who she dates or she's vilified. Poor woman.

I completely agree. Someone may have meant well originally, but doing this in such a public manner basically forces her to accept. Not fair at all.

I agree as well. Hasn't yet another celebrity been asked to attend this ball now? (I can't remember who, but someone besides Betty White.) It's kind of getting out of hand. With all the media attention, there is simply no way these people can turn down these dates without being seen as haughty or "anti-American!" or something. It may have started innocently enough, but now it strikes me as increasingly weird and vaguely unsettling.

I don't see what's charming about it at all and I hate the idea that people seem to think she owes him this date.

I also dislike the fact that she's interrupted multiple times, some where it's pretty clear she's about to say things like "if I'm not busy" etc. Also she seems not too keen when she's told she's going alone.

All in all this really grates on me, especially as people are now talking bad of her because she might not do it after all. She doesn't owe him anything, she was put on the spot (which in and of itself is rude, IMO) and now she's stuck either going on a date with a completely stranger, which she was pretty much forced into, or to look like the big bad person who doesn't wanna "honour a service man" and whatever else people are saying.

I hate this and I feel bad for her.

I don't like this new trend of having to do everything someone in the military/veteran wants and give them your first born child in addition or "OH NOES you're a terrible person!" and get slaughtered in the media. If she wants to go on a date with a stranger, and he is a stranger, enlisted or not, that's up to her. She can't win- either someone else determines who she dates or she's vilified. Poor woman.

I completely agree. Someone may have meant well originally, but doing this in such a public manner basically forces her to accept. Not fair at all.

I agree as well. Hasn't yet another celebrity been asked to attend this ball now? (I can't remember who, but someone besides Betty White.) It's kind of getting out of hand. With all the media attention, there is simply no way these people can turn down these dates without being seen as haughty or "anti-American!" or something. It may have started innocently enough, but now it strikes me as increasingly weird and vaguely unsettling.

Scarlett Johanssen was asked and she declined, with grace and kindness, so it most certainly can be done.

I don't see what's charming about it at all and I hate the idea that people seem to think she owes him this date.

I also dislike the fact that she's interrupted multiple times, some where it's pretty clear she's about to say things like "if I'm not busy" etc. Also she seems not too keen when she's told she's going alone.

All in all this really grates on me, especially as people are now talking bad of her because she might not do it after all. She doesn't owe him anything, she was put on the spot (which in and of itself is rude, IMO) and now she's stuck either going on a date with a completely stranger, which she was pretty much forced into, or to look like the big bad person who doesn't wanna "honour a service man" and whatever else people are saying.

I hate this and I feel bad for her.

I don't like this new trend of having to do everything someone in the military/veteran wants and give them your first born child in addition or "OH NOES you're a terrible person!" and get slaughtered in the media. If she wants to go on a date with a stranger, and he is a stranger, enlisted or not, that's up to her. She can't win- either someone else determines who she dates or she's vilified. Poor woman.

I completely agree. Someone may have meant well originally, but doing this in such a public manner basically forces her to accept. Not fair at all.

My understanding, however, after seeing and reading numerous interviews with her about this is that she is really genuinely thrilled to attend.

I'm sure stars get asked to attend a lot of events all the time and have no problem saying no. I think the reason this story caught on was because she did accept.

It's nice that she agreed to go, but I find this new trend sort of troubling. Celebrities are being cornered by complete strangers to go with them to an event. If for whatever reason they decline the invitation they are labeled as unpatriotic. I mean military or not I would be reluctant to attend an event with a total stranger.

I don't think the original Marine should have ever asked. Is it nice that Kunis and other celebs are agreeing to go? Sure, but that doesn't make the original invitation ok. It's extremely coercive and I'm a little surprised the Marine Corps is letting it go on like this.

ETA: Oh, I just wanted to say that I think this is probably the only place on the internet where I could say that or anything else perceived as slightly critical of the military without getting blasted as "callous" or "unpatriotic." I love you guys.

I come from a military family. My SO is military (and a veteran). I, for one, am very disappointed to see this sort of boorish behavior from a serviceman.

Really? This sort of thing doesn't surprise me AT ALL! And I mean that in a good/light-hearted way. Soldiers do some of the stupidest, most asinine stuff just, well, because they can. And b/c they're probably bored. Even in Afganistan So the fact that this type of bet occurred, doesn't surprise me in the least.

Seriously, some of the stuff DH tells me that they do to keep themselves entertained never ceases to amaze me. And DH is only signal. Infantry guys are even worse, and yet they have all the good stories.